Feels great writing that. “Habs Demolish Leafs.” Normally I leave the title for last, but I couldn’t wait tonight. And I could’ve said “Habs Blast Leafs” or “Habs Blank Leafs”, but I prefer Demolish. Even though the Torontonians hit a few posts and outshot the Canadiens 32-18. But forget about that. It’s the scoreboard that tells the tale.

A big 5-0 shutout win for Carey Price and the gang. Four straight wins and seven points from a playoff spot. Things are still a long shot, but how great it feels when Montreal is on a roll and looking good.

It was Mats Sundin Night at the Air Canada Centre, a night when Sundin’s jersey was sent to that special place in the rafters to join other Leaf greats. They do it a little differently in Toronto. They honour the numbers, but future players are still allowed to wear them, unlike Montreal where the number goes up, never to be worn again. Imagine if Mike Komisarek wore number 9 while in Montreal for example? It would just suck.

And it’s this jersey-honouring that pissed off Dave Keon so much that he cut almost all ties with the Leafs, which is a shame. Keon was a legendary Leaf, but now he stays in Florida, sits under palm trees, and tries to pretend the whole thing never happened. But that’s the way it is in Toronto.

The Sundin ceremony was lengthy, his wife Josephine looked quite sensational, and his parents were visibly proud of course. And the first period was as sloppy as a pre-season game because of the wait as Sundin spoke and Josephine smiled and probably wondered if I was somewhere in the crowd.

But Montreal would find their game. They scored four in the second and another in the third, killed five penalties overall like it was a walk in the park, and between the pipes, Carey Price once again played like he’s the best in the game, which I think he is, although I might be slightly biased.

Canadiens scorers on this night were Eric Cole, Rene Bourque, Max Pacioretty on the power play, Lars Eller, who swept around Dion Phaneuf and beat James Reimer in a nifty play that’ll have fans on the streetcars talking about on their way back to the suburbs, and Mathieu Darche, who converted a Tomas Plekanec play started by Price.

The Habs smothered the Leafs often, Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty, Erik Cole, and Mathieu Darche enjoyed fine games, and all concerned -players, coaches, you, me, Lucy, Dave Keon, have to be perfectly content with what unfolded on this night.

The plan is to win most of the time from here on in. Four straight is a beauty start.

I’m not above using a picture I’ve used before, and there’s four reasons why I don’t feel bad about this:

The Habs play the Leafs tonight;

It’s Christmas and this is a Christmas picture;

This is a beautiful picture;

It’s my picture.

Notice how the Leaf kids look scared of the Habs kids? The Leaf kids just seem more tentative, nervous, like they have quite a few less points than the Habs. They know the game will be difficult. They know there will be lots of Habs jerseys in the stands, and half the Air Canada Centre will be cheering for the visitors.

“Why, oh why do we have to play the Habs?” some of the Leafs in the picture were heard to say. “Why can’t it be an easier team – like Boston?”

“Maybe I’ll call in sick,” said one Leaf. “You can’t do that, I’m already thinking of doing it and I thought of it first,” said another.

“Maybe we can set fire to our equipment like what happened to the Wild in Ottawa,” offered another.

“You Leafs are ridiculous,” said one of the girls in the picture. “The Habs put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you. Get out there and at least try. Play those Habs. Sure you’ll lose, but it least you’ll be men about it.”

It’s because the Leafs are so freakin worth it. So many stars to look at in the flesh. Why, at any second you can see Jason Blake skating and shooting. Jamal Mayers will be there, so will Jiri Tlusty. And if it’s defencemen you want to see, hey, how bout Carl Gunnarsson?

Naturally, some dates at the Air Canada Centre are sold out, like Thursday’s opener against the Habs. And you probably won’t be able to see Pittsburgh, Boston, Washington, Calgary, the Rangers, Devils, Carolina, Miinesota, Philadelphia, St. Louis,Vancouver, San Jose, Ottawa, Detroit, and a few more either. But take heart, there’s others. Tickets are available when Phoenix comes to town on December 16th, for example. That’s fantastic. You can bring your whole family – wife, kids, granny – sit down close so you’ll be near all your favourites, and pay only $423.00 a seat for that once-in-a lifetime chance of seeing the Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes right there, just in front of you!

Yes, that’s right. They’re practically giving them away. It’s a chance to take in an evening seeing the world famous Toronto Maple Leafs creating magic. And for this incredible experience, all it’s going to cost for you, the little lady, junior and missy, and of course granny, is – $2115, not including the beer, popcorn, ice cream, nachos, parking, and the souvenir bobblehead of Matt Stajan.

Is there a better way to spend your money? This is the Toronto Maple Leafs for goodness sakes? The team that Jim Dorey and Lyle Moffat once donned the blades for. You just can’t pass it up. Why, if I lived in Toronto, I’d go to as many games as possible. I’d be able to see not only Phoenix but probably Atlanta and the Florida Panthers too! I’d take my wife, bring friends – it’d be a winter-long extravaganza.

And all it would cost is $423 each, or if I prefer the cheap seats, a measly $148. But who wants to sit in the cheap seats in Toronto when I can be down close to the ice soaking in the atmosphere, seeing Tyler Bozak and Alex Ponikarovsky in person, enjoying an evening witnessing the Leafs clashing with the Coyotes.